Rock-solid wrecker: Mercedes-Benz Arocs as a recovery and
towing vehicle

March 10, 2014: BIG ROCK is the most cutting-edge recovery and towing vehicle in
Switzerland Mercedes-Benz Arocs 4451 Euro VI as basic vehicle LARAG AG:
full-service provider in the field of commercial vehicle repairs

The most cutting-edge recovery and towing vehicle in Switzerland for
trucks, buses and camper vans recently entered into service in the guise of
the Mercedes-Benz Arocs 4451 ‘BIG ROCK’. The official
Mercedes-Benz agency LARAG Fahrzeugwerke AG in Wil is deploying the
special-purpose vehicle to provide professional breakdown and accident
assistance in the heavy-duty range, as well as for carrying out vehicle
transfers. The Arocs concerned is a 375 kW (510 hp) four-axle vehicle.
“The new BIG ROCK recovery and towing vehicle is the perfect addition
to our fleet to round off our service offering,” says operations
manager Walter Oertli from LARAG AG. The task of recovering and towing
commercial vehicles which have broken down falls to Mario Müller (43) and
Patrick Uhlmann (35) with their BIG ROCK, an Arocs-based wrecker.

Essentially a special-purpose vehicle for the construction industry, the
Arocs also cuts a fine figure in recovery and towing operations, both on
and off-road. The recovery experts from LARAG AG are highly focused as they
go about their work in their Arocs 8×4. “Every situation we are
called to is different. We don’t always have detailed information in
advance as to what awaits us at the scene,” explains Müller.
“So the first thing we do on arrival is to take a close look at
everything and check the situation. Then we discuss how to proceed and get
down to work.” An analysis of the circumstances at the scene of the
breakdown or accident is very important, as the wrecker must stand secure
and firm, its support must not sink into ground which is too soft and the
leverage effect must be foreseeable when the salvaging arm is extended.
Müller bounds up the three steps and into the Arocs cab, where he starts up
the 375 kW engine. He slowly reverses the powerful silver four-axle vehicle
into position at a 90-degree angle to the demonstration vehicle, a
decommissioned bus. Once the vehicle is parked in this position, the sturdy
rear support is first of all lowered and braced against the ground. At the
same time, the 3.50 m high lighting mast is raised on the body. Together
with the surround lighting, the lighting mast provides for a good view of
proceedings in poor weather or at night. Now the towing arm is slowly swung
down, revealing the thick hooks on the two cable winches. The men can
operate all hydraulic and vehicle functions either at the control console
in the liftgate on the co-driver’s side or by radio remote control.
The standard task of towing away broken down vehicles centres on swiftly
hitching up the vehicle or manoeuvring it onto the spectacle lift. The
safety of the recovery team is the top priority here. To this end, almost
all the required materials are located in the compartments with flaps on
the co-driver’s side – facing away from the road. Accordingly,
equipment such as chains, belts, straps and lugs are stowed in the
compartments and cabinets on the driver’s side.

The Mercedes-Benz Arocs was launched in Europe in May 2013. Apart from maximum environmental
acceptability thanks to Euro VI, the three outstanding attributes that set
these special-purpose vehicles for the construction industry apart are
power, efficiency and robustness. Repairing trucks, buses and cars which
have been involved in accidents is a long-established key area of the
services offered by LARAG AG. In addition to the standard workshops, the
Mercedes-Benz dealer in Wil in the canton of Saint Gallen also disposes of
the full range of technical facilities, such as chassis straightening rig,
body repair shop and large-scale paintshop. Apart from providing direct
accident and breakdown assistance in eastern Switzerland between Zürich and
the Austrian border, LARAG also uses the Arocs for approved transfer
transportation over extensive distances throughout Switzerland. Bruno
Jäger, CEO of LARAG, is firmly convinced of the vehicle’s merits:
“The investment in this special-purpose vehicle is a forward-looking
measures which will publicise our special expertise far and wide. The BIG
ROCK is our rolling business card.”

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